Need
by lanna612
Summary: He always believed he had all he needed. Yet events come to pass that make him realize, there is something he wants yet has no idea how to obtain.
1. Chapter 1

Need

Solitude, it never really bothered him. The vast landscape of his territory provided just that, the West was large, and villages were far in between. Being alone provided him the quiet he needed to think, strategize, hunt, but most of all it allowed him the time he needed to be one with his beast. He was a powerful Daiyouki, the feared Lord of the West and many things were demanded of him, but out in the wilderness of his lands while out on patrol he was able to truly enjoy the solitude that provided for so much needed peace.

That was until she came, her with her scent of fresh spring rain and her youthful spirit. Such naïve-ness that frustrated him to no end and a brave unmovable heart, so much conviction in such a small body. Such courage and determination he had never witnessed in any other of her kind, yet she defied him with blazing fire in those azure eyes of hers. Those orbs that trapped you in their abys with just a single glance and arouse with their pureness. She was young, a child not much older than Rin. Yet she possessed knowledge not of this time, knowledge he himself was not all familiar with. She was honorable and loyal not to mention powerful. A miko with so much untapped potential and yet she remained by the hanyo.

That wretched half-brother that soiled his father's blood by just existing. The fool needed the help of their father even beyond the grave to keep his demon side in check, such pathetic excuse of a brother he was. Yes, he himself had to admit that by underestimating the mutt had resulted in the loss of his arm, however upon further evaluation he deducted the fault laid with the miko, the mutt had just gotten lucky. She was the source of his power the key to unlocking the tetsusaiga from within the stone. And yet the hanyo did nothing but constantly compare her to the dead priestess that had pinned him to the tree. Funny how incredibly stupid and irrational he had been, calling it love and blaming his weakness on such sentiment. Such deplorable half-breed, a true embarrassment to their lineage.

Love such feeble emotion predicated in the inability of the humans to view themselves as weak. An emotion he himself had never experience and thus did not comprehend, the conflict of decisions made towards Rin were justified he was there to look and provide for her, she was his ward a responsibility, if you must dog demons are anything other but loyal. Yet the mere site of the mikos tear stricken face did a number on him, the uncontrollable desire to wrap his arms around her and help her forget her troubles baffled him.

She had intruded in on one of those moments of much needed solitude. Cheeks blazing from the heat of the day, hair a mess with pieces of what seemed and smelled to have been a wild berry bush. She seemed startled to have barged in on him like that, she was so distracted, she had not sensed him. And yet there was absolutely no scent of fear in her. She had respectfully apologized and promised to be on her way, yet for some unknown reasons to him he had asked her to stay. She talked he listened, she cried he watched, she laughed he remained as unaffected as before yet he had become intrigued, curious, inquisitive, puzzled on the mystery that was this human woman.

Their encounters had become more frequent, their conversations longer and his interest become much stronger. She was everything he stood against and more and yet he could not bring himself to stop. No amount of self-loathing would encourage him to stay away not even the constant run ins with the half breed mattered. She had embedded herself in his thoughts that she had become one with his thought process. She had affected him so that he was becoming the very thing he mocked, he cared, worried and even lost sleep for such a small fragile miko. She was becoming his everything and yet remained as his nothing. The inner conflict tearing him apart. His rational repeating what he already knew to be so she was HUMAN and a miko to boot, no wishing or hoping would change the fact and yet his beast rattled within his mental cage. Deciding to not follow in his fathers foots step he had maintained as much distance as possible during their temporary alliance and vowed to permanently erase her from his thoughts after the defeat of Naraku.

Yet events never came to pass, no matter how far he traveled or who warmed his bed thoughts of her remained. She was the very definition of a disease that had invaded his body like a cancer and no possible treatment would return him to normal. He had to find her. But how all trace of her had vanished after the filthy hanyo was finally destroyed. Her group had moved on with their lives and the half-breed mourned her as if she were dead. How was he to end this insatiable need for her when she was not even present, how was she to quench his thirst for her when he never tasted her?


	2. Chapter 2

Mate

Everything hurt, she felt like she had been thrown off her bike contacted the ground hard, rolled around several times before making a stop at the base of a tree where the insides of her stomach touched her spine due to the force of her landing. Just managing to open her eye lids was a huge accomplishment and yet everything was black and absolutely silent. She could make out the ends of the bed, a soft gleam of moon light entered through the window. Moon? It was night? Where was she? Last, she remembered they were in the village. She was out picking some herbs. Sango's twins had some sort of stomach flu and a good stew with some fennel would do them good. Her head hurt, images flashed. The rustling of the trees; the wildness in its eyes. What came at her, was it a boar? She took a deep breath as she struggled to sit up. What was that familiar smell, where had she smelled it before? Where was she? What was she wearing? Pain! Her shoulder was on fire, why? What happened? Inuyasha, everyone where were they?

"Breath Miko you will make yourself sick." A voice emitted from the corner of the room. Pools of liquid gold blaze at her.

"Sesshomaru!" She exclaims as she tries to steady herself. "What happened, why am I here, where is everyone? Inuyasha?"

He emerged from the darkness, wearing his usual attire minus his armor. Imposing as ever as he crossed his arms over his chest. "One question at a time Miko."

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm her nerves the pain in her shoulder never ceasing. "Ok, where is everyone?"

"They are here." He answered bored expression on his face never changing.

"Here?" she looks around "where is here?"

"My home." He approached her slowly while taking a sit at the far end of the bed.

"Your home! Sesshomaru what are we doing in your home?" Bewilderment written all over her face. Never taking into account his close in proximity.

"I brought you here, they followed."

"Ok, so what happened, why do I feel like I was just run over by a bus?" Groaning as she tried to better straighten herself.

"Bus?" Now confusion was evident in his features.

"Yes bus, big, heavy, carries people ohh never mind. Why am I in bed, wearing? Sesshomaru what am I wearing?" Remembering her modern clothes were not where she had last put them.

"You are wearing a yukata and you are currently in my bed." Stating. Features returning to indifferent.

"Sesshomaru I know what a yukata is, why am I wearing one, wait your bed! As in your YOUR bed!" Looking around in disbelieve. "Why am I in Your bed?" Clutching her left shoulder as another wave a hot pain coursed through it. "Why is my shoulder killing me?"

"You are in my bed because that is where you belong. Thus, for your shoulder it is expected for the pain to last a few days, or at least until the bound is fully complete." Leaning in while inhaling in her scent. "Judging by the hints of my youkai in your scent I would say a few more hours."

"Your youkai? Sesshomaru what did you do?" Panic settled in the depth of her stomach, something just kept telling her things had changed something was wrong. Nothing made sense. She felt strange and that alarmed her. Confusion and uneasiness rattled all within her, his tone was much to different… casual even. His youkai? What? Her thoughts were cut short as she felt him lean in.

"I saved your life Miko." His liquid pools of Gold zoned in on her. "You were attacked by a wild boar and almost perished. I killed it and saved your life." A ghost of a smirk adorned his face. "You were on the brink of death so this Sesshomaru did what was needed to be done.

Inhaling deeply Kagome was almost too scared to ask. "And exactly what was that, that needed to be done?"

A full smile now graced his features. It would have been I sight to see if she wasn't so terrified. With confidence only Sesshomaru could pull off he declared. "The pain you feel on your left shoulder is the indication and physical manifestation of my mark. We are mates now."


	3. Chapter 3

The Beginning of the End Part 1

It was finally over, they had won. Naraku was no more, they had finally destroyed the evil that had tormented and changed their lives. She couldn't believe it had been her who had shot the arrow that had finally pierced and obliterated that evil being. All their struggles, their sacrifices and loss were finally over. He was gone. She held the now complete jewel in her hands, pure once more. She had thought long and hard on what her wish needed to be. No wish was in true unselfish, whatever she wished for would benefit someone one way or another. She just hoped, prayed and wished for the best.

They had already said their goodbyes not knowing what the outcome of the battle would be like. She had thanked Miroku for all his wise words and helpful training. She and Sango had cried over the possibility of not seeing each other again, they had grown so close and would miss each other dearly. Shippo didn't want to be away from her any more then she wanted to part with him. She let him know how proud she was of him and how incredibly honored she felt he viewed her as his mother. She and Inuyasha had taken a walk up to goshinboku and sat at its base. Neither knew how to address what could possibly be next for them, both had grown so much along this journey and discovered feelings neither knew they could experience. In the end nothing mattered, their fates were uncertain until the final battle was over and done with.

And now, jewel in hand battle over, the wish needed to be made and the idea of losing everything she had gained with in the past year terrified her deeply. However, this was her quest, the end to an unbelievable journey. She glanced once more to the faces of those she had learned to love and closed her eyes. In her mind she spoke the only thing she believe could possibly bring them all a happy ending. The jewel had been forcefully pulled out of her body, so it was only right for it to return to the place where she could guard and protect it. A powerful flash of bright pink light surrounded everyone with a warm embrace, once it subsided she was gone. She awoke at the bottom of the well, all magic gone. She was hurt, tired and painfully heartbroken. The realization ripping her apart, they had won, the wish was made and now she was back to the era that had been her home. She would not be seeing them again.

She tried many times, the well never allowing her desire to return. Her mother had become distressed, frightened with the idea of Kagome physically hurting herself in her attempts to return. A broken ankle being the catalyst in locking the well house doors, preventing any future attempts. She learned to cope with the loss she felt, they had all been ripped from her in a flash and the pain appeared never ending. Inuyasha, how her heart ached for her beloved hanyo. Their love never to be. She focused her mind in her studies, traveling back and forth had done a number in her being able to keep up. Four years had gone and passed, she finally was a high school graduate. College was something she wasn't to sure of and her grandfather falling ill had made her decision all that much easier; she now focused on helping and watching over the shrine. All that changed the night her grandfather passed away, as they returned to the shine after laying him to rest she felt the pulse of magic return. Her grandfather's last words urged her to return to the happiness that had been ripped from her. Now feeling the pulse of magic emerging from the well she understood what he was trying to tell her. After a long and heartfelt conversation, much hugs and an over packed backpack she said her goodbyes to the women who had given her life and to a brother who admired her strength and bravery before she plunged back into the world she whole heartily wished to see.

However, upon returning things were not all entirely what she had hoped for. What had been roughly 5 years for her had been 10 and a half for them. Miroku and Sango had gotten married and were now parents to 8-year-old twins girls Hana and Himari as well as 6-year-old boy Asahi. Shippo, her baby was anything but a baby now, he looks to be a teenager no smaller then she when their journey first began. Stronger and much more skilled then when she left him; to her surprise it had all been thanks to Sesshomarus involvement due to Rins insistence. Rin, that adorable 8-year-old girl who stole her heart with her loving nature now turned into a beautiful woman with only days away from her wedding to Kohaku. Kaede was still alive yet she easily fell ill due to her growing age. Realizing that everyone had in one way or another moved on left her conflicted as to where she would fit in all this. But nothing prepared her for her reunion with Inuyasha, what was supposed to be a moment filled with happiness and overwhelming joy turned in to utter disbelieve and hurt. What was she expecting? Inuyasha running to her with opened arms, lifting her up in the air as they kissed and rejoiced about being back together. It was Inuyasha after all one of the main reason she so desperately wanted to return. However, upon asking for his whereabouts everyone seemed hesitant and cautions around her, that should have been sign enough. But no, her naïve heart still hoped for those high school fantasies. Sango was who tried to explain, lessen the blow if you must. She mentioned how he had mourned her for years, stayed by the well in hopes that it would open back again. He had closed himself off from all of them claiming it was just not fair that they all got what they wanted in some way and, yet she was completely gone with no way of coming back. Life moved on, people passed and new arrived and, yet he seemed to remain, that was until Mayumi came along.

Mayumi the new village healer. Just shy of her 19th birthday she had volunteered to come and help Kaede and stay as her replacement. She, a great healer with a kind heart and extremely patient nature. She was the only one who was able to reach Inuyasha and bring him back from the darkness he had willingly walked into. They became inseparable ever since, she was now 22, it had been 3 years since her arrival and 2 years since she and Inuyasha had become a couple. Couple, that word is what brought her world down in that instant. It was just like the first time all over again, she was coming in to find out his heart belonged to someone other than her. Yet her foolish heart didn't want to believe it, how was this possible she was only gone 10 years, nothing for a hanyo who was pinned to a tree for 50, what were 10? And still the moment she watched them enter the village opposite side to that which holds the well, hand in hand smiles on their faces she knew, she just knew coming back was a huge mistake.


End file.
